Apparatus for dispensing liquid shampoo



June 22, 1965 L. H. KNIBB APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID SHAMPOO 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 3, 1963 INVENTOR.

LE/POY H. KN/B June 22, 1965 Y L. H. KNIBB 3,190,502

APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING LIQUID SHAMPOO Filed June 3, 1963 s Sheets-Shet2- INVENTOR. LROY h. KN/BB BY WM ATTOR/VE V United States Patent Office3,190,502 Patented June 22, 1965 3,190,502 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSINGLIQUID SHAMPOG Leroy H. Knibh, 181 E. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, 121.Filed tune 3, 1963, er. No. 280,510 5 (llaims. (Cl. 222146) The improveddispensing apparatus comprising the present invention has been designedfor use primarily in connection with the dispensing of a liquid shampoopreparation directly onto the head of the person undergoing shampootreatment. The invention is, however, capable of other uses and adispensing apparatus which is constructed in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention may be employed, with or withoutmodification as required, for dispensing other liquids, such as liquidsoap, hand or facial creams, deodorants, and a wide variety of similarcosmetic preparations of a liquid or semi-liquid nature. Irrespective,however, of the particular use to which the present invention may beput, the essential features thereof are at all times preserved.

The invention will be found particularly useful in connection with alavatory bowl such as is utilized in a barber shop, beauty parlor orother place where the hair and scalp are the subject of treatment, andover which bowl a shampooing operation takes place. Accordingly, theinvention has ben disclosed herein as being applied to such a lavatorybowl.

Heretofore, in connection with a lavatory bowl in a professionalestablishment of the heretofore-mentioned type, the bowl is invariablyprovided with hot and cold Water taps for hair-wetting and rinsingpurposes, and usually the preparation whichis to be applied to the hairof a customer is kept on a remote shelf in an individual bottle having ashaker top so that it is necessary to transport the bottle to the sceneof a shampooing operation. After the required quantity of thepreparation (shampoo liquid) has been applied to the hair of thecustomer, the bottle is temporarily placed on the ledge region of thelavatory bowl while the actual shampoo massage is performed, the bottlethus being available for repeated applications of its contents ifdesired. Ordinarily, the bottle is not restored to its position on theshelf until the final rinse and the preliminary drying operation with atowel has been completed. Inasmuch as a liquid shampoo preparation isinvariably of a saponaceous nature, it is slippery to the touch and abottle thus temporarily positioned on the ledge region of a lavatorybowl is frequently dropped during handling or is knocked overinadvertently during normal shampooing operations with the resultantdanger of bottle fracture and loss of the contents. To obviate thisdifliculty, some establishments employ a lavatory bowl having a built-inshampoo pump, this consisting of a conventional faucet-type lift orsuction pump or, in some instances, a force pump, by means of which theshampoo liquid, which is stored in quantity in a container beneath thelavatory bowl, is raised above the level of the bowl where it may bedeposited into the hand of the operator for application to the hair orapplied directly onto the hair. Such a lift or force pump employs adepressible plunger which is permanently installed in an opening in thebowl ledge and cannot be removed therefrom during normal operationthereof so that much liquid is lost in transferring the shampoopreparation by hand from the pump faucet to the hair. Additionally, dueto the permanency of the installation, the pump fittings or parts aredifficult to clean and are thus subject to accumulation of dried liquid.Finally, where a force pump is concerned, drying out of the liquid inthe pump chamber or around the usual liquid ports as, for example,during a period of prolonged inactivity, may cause the pump plunger tofreeze in its surrounding cylinder thus rendering the pump inoperativeuntil it has been taken apart and cleaned.

The present invention is designed to overcome the above-notedlimitations that are attendant upon the construction and use of aconventional shampoo dispensing system for a lavatory bowl and, towardthis end, the invention contemplates the provision of a novel liquiddispensing apparatus or system which incorporates as a functionalelement thereof a portable dispensing head which normally seats or restsby gravity within a specific fitting for it on the associated lavatorybowl and thus remains accessible at all times for limited transportationfrom a seated position within the fitting and on the bowl to the head ofthe customer, the dispensing head being adapted, immediately after use,for return to its normally seated position where it may remain duringthe shampoo massage operation or during rinsing operations and inreadiness for a subsequent use. The dispensing head is in the form of amanually operable valve assembly which is adapted to be operativelyconnected to a source of the shampoo liquid under pressure. The valveelement of the dispensing head is normally and yieldingly maintained inits closed or oif position and it is so designed that upon manipulationof a hollow operating stem the valve element will be moved to its openposition to admit the liquid through the stem for application to thehair or scalp of the customer. The provision of a portable dispensinghead and seat fitting therefor as briefly outlined above being among theprincipal objects of the invention, it is a further object to providesuch an assembly wherein the outlet pressure leading from the dispensinghead may be varied to accommodate fluctuations in source pressures tothe end that the shampoo liquid will not flow too freely from thedispensing head when the valve is open. Numerous factors may contributetoward a variation in source pressure, one such factor being the use ofa fluctuating or pulsating pump. Additionally, the temperature of theliquid will ordinarily affect the source pressure, a heated liquid beingappreciably less viscous than a cold liquid. A cold liquid whichordinarily will flow through a dispensing valve orifice at an acceptaclerate may be transformed into a powerful jet when its temperature israised and its viscosity decreases. Still further the physicalproperties of shampoo preparations originating from difierent sourcesmay vary widely. According to the present invention, the dispensing headis so constructed that the size of the discharge orifice may beregulated or adjusted to attain a uniform flow of the liquid under allconditions of viscosity. A still further object of the invention is toprovide a portable dispensing head and seat fitting therefor wherein theseat fitting is provided with novel means for heating the body portionof the head assembly so that the residual charge of the shampoo liquidwithin the valve chamber of the dispensing head will automatically bebrought to a desirable temperature for application to the head of thecustomer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel seat fitting forthe dispensing head as outlined above, together with a novel bracketsupport by means of which the seat fitting may readily be applied to alavatory bowl when the latter is not equipped with the usual mountingopening for accommodating such a fitting. A similar and related objectof the invention is to provide such a seat fitting which is capablewithout modification of attachment to the associated lavatory bowleither by use of the special mounting bracket or by installation thereofin a mounting opening in the bowl.

A further object of the invention is to provide in an apparatus of thetype or character under consideration a dispensing head and seat fittingtherefor wherein means 3 are provided for deflecting drippings away fromthe central opening in the fitting so that such dripping will not passthrough or around the bowl and be deposited on the floor therebeneath.

The provision of a dispensing apparatus which is comprised largely ofstandard or commercially available materials, parts and assemblies and,therefore, may be manufactured at a relatively low cost; one which issimple in its construction and, therefore, is unlikely to get out oforder; one which is rugged and durable and, therefore, Will Withstandrough usage; one which is capable of ease of assembly and dismantlementfor purposes of inspection of parts, replacement or repair; one whichmay be supplied as original equipment on a lavatory bowl or applied toan existing bowl; one which is capable of being easily cleaned; onewhich is attractive in its appearance and pleasing in its design; andone which is well adapted to perform the services required of it, arefurther desirable features which have been borne in mind in theproduction and development of the present invention.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrang ment of parts shown in theaccompanying three sheets of drawings forming a part of thisspecification.

In these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a beauty parlor installationshowing the dispensing apparatus of the present invention operativelyapplied to a lavatory bowl;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation view partly in section showingthe dispensing head and seat fitting of the present inventionoperatively installed upon a lavatory bowl by means of a specialmounting bracket;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partly in section, of the structure shown inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the dispensing head of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevati-onal view partly in section of the seat fittingfor the dispensing head of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view partly in section of a heating jacketdesigned for use in connection with the seat fitting of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an end view of the structure shown in FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line lt31tl of FIG.4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIG. 1, thedispensing apparatus of the present invention is shown as beingoperatively installed in connection with a lavatory bowl 10, the latterconstituting a portion of the functional equipment of a barber or beautyshop installation. Other illustrated functional equipment of theinstallation includes shelving 12 be neath the bowl 10, cabinetstructures 14 adjacent to the bowl and an electrical outlet I6operatively mounted in a wall structure 18. The lavatory bowl 110 is ofconventional design. It is shown in FIG. 1 as being suitably supportedupon the wall structure 1% and also provided with the usual hot and coldwater faucet controls and 22 and an extensible spray head 24. The bowlportion proper 26 of the bowl It is provided with the usual rim ledge 28having an outwardly and downwardly rolled edge 30. The forward centralregion of the rim ledge 28 is provided with a trough-like depression 32to accommodate the nect of a customer, such as the customer illustratedat C, when the head is centered above the bowl portion proper forshampooing operations, for example, the massage or rinsing operation.

The shelving 12 may be employed for supporting thereon a container edfor the liquid shampoo or other hair preparation as well as aconventional electrically-driven motor and pump assembly 42 by means ofwhich the liquid in the container 46 may be Withdrawn from the container40 and supplied under pressure to the dispensing head 44 of the presentinvention. Accordingly, a flexible suction line 46 leads from the motorand container 4i to the inlet side of the pump assembly 42 while aflexible pressure line 48 leads from the pump assembly to the dispensinghead 44.

The arrangement of parts thus far described is purely conventional andno claim is made herein to any novelty associated with the same, thenovelty of the present invention residing rather in the particulardispensing head 44, the seat fitting 5% which is provided for the head,and the mounting bracket 52 by means of which the seat fitting Stl maybe fixedly attached to the edge 3d of the rim ledge 23 of the bowl ItSuch parts will be more fully described presently.

Referring now to all of the views of the drawings and in particular toFIGS. 4, 6 and 10, the dispensing head 44 as a whole is generally ofcylindrical design while the seat fitting 5t! therefor likewise is ofcylindrical design and is adapted removably to receive therein intelescopic nested relationship the dispensing head 44. The seat fitting50 is adapted to be surrounded by a heating element 54 (see FIG. 8) ofopen-ended tubular construction, provision being made for clamping theheating element 54 in position around the seat fitting 59 so that, ineffect, the heating element becomes a permanent and functional part ofthe seat fitting. Means are provided whereby the seat fitting 59,together with its associated heating element 54, may be projectedthrough an opening such as the opening shown at 56 in the mountingbracket 52 or through a similar opening such as the blank opening 58 inthe rear portion of the rim ledge 28 of the bowl It) for permanentassembly upon the mounting bracket or bowl, as the case may be, all in amanner that will be made clear subsequently.

The dispensing head 44 is comprised of two principal parts, namely, acharge container 66 and a valve assembly 62. The charge container 66 isin the form of a thin-walled, microcorrosive, cylindrical body 64 havingan externally threaded open upper rim portion 66 (see FIG. 10). Thelower end of the body 64 is provided with a depending externallythreaded nipple 68 (see FIG. 4) which is operatively connected by asuitable fitting 70 to the discharge end of the flexible pressure line48 leading from the pump asembly 42. The capacity of the chargecontainer 60 is somewhat greater than the maximum quantity of shampooliquid which normally is applied to the head of a customer during anyone given application so that the amount of heated shampoo liquidcontained therein will be adequate for such application.

. The valve assembly 62 involves in its general organization a valvebody of generally cylindrical design and including an uppervalve-receiving cup portion 82 which, in combination with the valvemember received therein, establishes a dispensing nozzle, a reducedintermediate portion 84, a lower and further reduced stem portion 36,and a bottom valve plate 88 of imperforate disc-like design. The valvebody 80 is fioatingly mounted in a closure cap 96 which is threadedlyreceived over the open upper threaded rim portion 66 of the chargecontainer fill, an O-ring 92 of elastomeric material being interposedbetween said rim portion 66 of the charge container and the closure cap99 to effect a seal between the parts.

A combined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100' of rubber or othersuitable elas'tomeric material is interposed between the valve body 80and the closure cap fill, this sleeve being of tubular design and beingformed with an external annular groove 1G2 into which projects the rimportion of a central opening 104 in the closure cap 90. An annular valveseat proper res forms the lower part of the combined mounting sleeve andvalve seat 106). It underlies the rim region of the opening 104 andpresents a downwardly facing annular seat surface 108 which is designedfor cooperation with the disclike valve plate 88. The upper end of thecombined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100 closely hugs the reducedintermediate portion 84 of the valve body 80 and the intermediateportion of said combined mounting sleeve and valve seat is spaced fromthe lower stem portion 86. The extreme lower region of the stem portion86 is provided with a series of radial fluid ports 110 therethrough, anda clearance annulus 112 is provided in the combined mounting sleeve andvalve seat 100 in horizontal register with the ports 110. In the upperregions of said combined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100 the externaldiameter thereof is the same as the external diameter of the upper cupportion 82 of the valve body so that the combined mounting sleeve andvalve seat and the valve body present an unbroken cylindrical contour attheir juncture regions.

The overall diameter of the cup portion 82 of the valve body 80 isslightly less than the diameter of the opening 104 in the closure cap 90in order to permit the valve body to be installedupon the closure cap byinsertion of the cup portion 82 through said opening. The overalldiameter of the valve plate 88, however, is somewhat greater than thediameter of the opening 104 so that the rim region of the valve plate 88underlies and overhangs the rim region of the opening 104. The valvebody 80 presents a downwardly facing shoulder 114 at the junctionbetween the upper cup portion 82 and the intermediate portion 84thereof. The elastomeric combined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100 iscompressed between this shoulder 114 and the upper face 116 of the valveplate 88 so that the entire combined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100is placed under an appreciable degree of axial compression. Thus in thenormal position-of the valve body 80 the upper surface 116 of the valveplate 88 is pressed against the annular seat surface 108 and the annularvalve seat proper 106 is compressed between the valve plate 88 and theinside face of the top wall of the closure cap 90. Thus, fluid underpressure within the charge container 60 is prevented from passing to theinterior of the combined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100. However,when manual pressure is applied to the cylindrical cup portion 82 of thevalve body 80 tending to tilt it away from its normal coaxialrelationship with respect to the charge container 60, a crevice or spacewill be opened up between the peripheral region of the valve plate 88and the annular seat surface 108 on the side of the valve body towardwhich the manual pressure is applied so that fluid will enter thecombined mounting sleeve and valve seat 100 around the peripheral edgeof the valve plate and pass through the ports 110 and then fiow upwardlythrough the hollow tubular valve body 80.

In order to restrict the flow of liquid outwardly through the upper openrim of the cup portion 82 of the valve body 80, a control valve member.120 is threadedly received within the upper open rim of the cup portion82 of the valve body 80 and is vertically adjustable therein. Thecontrol valve member 120 consists of an enlarged upper head portion 122of cylindrical design, an intermediate reduced portion 124 which isthreaded exteriorly for threaded reception in the cup portion 82 of thevalve body, and a lower valve plug 126 which is connected to theintermediate portion 124 by a short reduced stem portion 128.

The inner wall surface of the tubular valve body 80 adjacent to thejuncture between the cup portion 82 and the reduced intermediate portion84 is of gradually curved funnel shape design, thus providing a taperedvalve seat 130 (see FIG. which is designed for cooperation with thevalve plug 126 in adjustably restricting the flow of liquid underpressure upwardly through the valve body 80 from the reducedintermediate portion 84 to the cup portion 82 of the valve body. Theouter surface of the valve plug 126 is correspondingly'tapered and has agenerally frusto-conical portion 132 which is designed for seatingengagement on the tapered valve seat 130 when the control valve is fullyclosed. Below the frustoconical portion 132 of the valve plug 126 is areduced stem portion 133 which projects downwardly well into theintermediate portion 84 of the valve body in all normal adjustedpositions of the control valve member 120. The control valve member isprovided with a relatively deep bore 134 which passes completely throughthe upper head portion 122 and the reduced portion 124 as well asthrough the stem portion 128 and terminates at the junction between saidstem portion and the valve plug 126. The valve plug 126 of the controlvalve member 120 is formed with a series of radial ports 136 whichestablish communication between the annular space around the stemportion 128 and within the valve member 80 and the bore 134. An O-ring138 seated in an annular groove 140 in the reduced portion 124 of thevalve member 120 serves to seal the upper open end of said valve bodyagainst egress of any liquid which may be passed through the matingthreads which are formed respectively on the control valve member 120and the valve body 80. These threads are normally of a loose fittingnature to facilitate turning of the control valve member 120 andconsequent adjustment of the position of the valve plug 126with respectto the valve seat 130. The head portion 122 of the valve member 120 isprovided with a tapered nozzle portion 142 and a knurled cylindricalportion 144. The cylindrical portion 144 facilitates turning of thecontrol valve member 120 with respect to the valve body 80 in order toadjust the distance between the mating tapered valve seat 130 and thefrusto-conical portion 132 to a degree commensurate with the pressure ofthe pumped liquid under pressure as well as with the specific viscosityof the liquid. It is apparent, therefore, that by proper adjustment ofthe axial position of the control valve member 120 within the tubularvalve body 80, a uniform flow of the liquid at the nozzle portion 142may be attained and the pulsating effect of the pump assembly 42 may beminimized.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 6, the dispensing head '44 including thevalve body 80 and the charge container 60 is a self-contained unit whichis adapted normally to be nested within the open-ended tubular seatfitting 50 as shown in FIG. 2 and is capable of being withdrawntherefrom by the simple expedient of manually lifting or pulling thesame from the seat fitting, at which time the flexible pressure line 48will pass upwardly through the fitting 50 to an extent sufficient toenablefreedom of movement of the dispensing head 44 when applying theshampoo liquid to the hair or scalp of a customer. The seat fitting 50includes a thin-walled open-ended tubular shank portion 146 and theupper rim region of this shank portion 146 is provided with a relativelythick enlargedtapered seating flange 150. The lower rim region of theshank portion 146 is externally threaded as at 152 for threadedreception thereover of a clamping nut 154 by means of which the heatingelement 54 is retained in its telescopic position on the fitting 50 andthe entire assembly is clamped in position either on the support bracket52 or the bowl 10, as the case may be. The seating flange afiords adownwardly facing shoulder 156 beneath which there is disposed an anglegasket 158 which may be formed of fiber material or other suitable heatinsulating and sealing material. The gasket 158 fits within the opening56 as shown in FIG. 2 and not only seals the seat fitting 50 within thisopening against the passage of liquid drippings but also thermallyinsulates the seat fitting from the supporting bracket 52 andconsequently from the bowl 10 so that there will be no heat losses byconduction to the bracket and from thence to the bowl. A secondinsulating and sealing gasket 160 underlies the rim region of theopening 56 and receives the upward thrust of the upper open rim of theheating element 54 when the latter is telescopically received over theseat fitting St in a manner that will be set forth presently. A thirdsealing gasket 162 similarly receives the thrust of the lower open rimof the heating element 54 when the nut 154 is tightened thereagainst.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the heating element 54 is comprised of an innerthin wall metal tube section 170 of open-ended design and to which thereis vulcanized or otherwise secured an outer sheath 172 of a moldableheat resistance elastomeric or other suitable material having embeddedtherein a coil 174 of electric resistance heating wire, the coil beingin the form of a spirally Wound loop having terminal ends 176electrically connected to a dual lead conductor 17.8 (see FIG. 8)carrying a plug-in fitting 180 by means of which it may be electricallyconnected to the electrical wall outlet 16. The assembly which comprisesthe heating element 54 is telescopically received over the seat fitting50 in close fitting relationship and is centered between the gaskets 158and 162 when the assembly is drawn tight by means of the clamping nut154.

In the installation of the seat fitting 50 either in the opening 56 ofthe mounting bracket 52 or in the opening 58 in the rear portion of therim ledge 58 of the bowl ill, the gasket 158 is first applied againstthe downwardly facing shoulder 156 on the seat flange of the seatfitting 59 and the latter is projected through the opening 56 so thatthe gasket 158 seats within the selected opening.

Thereafter the gasket 169 is applied, followed by application of theheating element 54 which is telescopically received over the seatfitting. The gasket 162 is then applied and finally the nut 154 isscrewed onto the screw thread 152 on the lower end of the seat fitting50 to draw the parts together.

The mounting bracket 52 is of partial box-like design and comprises atop wall 190 (see FIG. 2) and depending side Walls 192, 194, 196, 198,the bottom of the mounting bracket being open. The previously describedopening 56 is formed in the top wall 1%. The side wall 193 is of shortheight and has formed therein a vertical slot 260. A U-shaped clamp 202is provided with an inner leg 204,

an outer leg 206 and a connecting bight portion 298.

The outer leg is provided with a threaded hole 216 within which there isreceived a clamping bolt 212. The clamp 202 is adapted to straddle therolled edge 30 of the rim ledge 28 of the bowl 1.0 (see FIG. 2) in sucha manner that when the clamping bolt 212 is tightened against thisrolled edge, the inner leg 204 is drawn tightly against the edge and theclamp 202 is thus securedto the bowl. The slot 200 in the side wall 193is adapted to be hooked over the bolt 212 in the manner shown in FIG. 2and a lock washer 214 which is interposed between the head of the boltand the sidewall 198 takes up any lost motion that otherwise would bepresent so that the mounting bracket 52 is fixedly clamped to theU-shaped clamp 2&2 and the latter is in turn fixedly clamped to the bowl1%.

In the operation of the apparatus, the dispensing head 44 normally restsin telescopic fashion within the seat fitting 50 with the closure cap 90resting upon the seating flange 150 as shown in FIG. 2. In this positionof the dispensing head 44, the charge container 60 is subject to heatfrom the heating element 54 so that the shampoo liquid which iscontained within the charge container will be brought within a normalrange of application temperatures. When it is desired to apply theshampoo liquid to the hair or scalp of a customer, such as the customerC in FIG. 1, the operator 0 will manually engage the dispensing head 44and lift the same from the seat fitting 50, at which time the flexiblepressure line 48 Will pass upwardly through the open-ended seat fitting5t). Grasping the change container 60 of the dispensing head 44 betweenthe four fingers and palm of the hand, the operator may, utilizing herthumb, apply lateral pressure to the valve body 80 thus partiallyunseating the valve plate 88 in the manner previously described andallowing the shampoo liquid which is maintained under pressure in thecharge container as to pass around the peripheral region of the valveplate and enter the elastomeric combined mounting sleeve and valve seat100. From the latter, the shampoo liquid flows through the ports 11%) tothe interior of the valve body 86 at a point beneath the reduced stemportion 133 of the valve plug 126. The liquid then passes upwardlybetween the mating tapered Valve seat and the frusto-conical portion 132and enters the control valve member 120 through the ports 136. Afterflowing through the ports 136, the liquid will be forcibly ejectedthrough the tapered nozzle portion 142 of the head portion 122 of thevalve member 1241. The viscosity of the liquid within the chargecontainer 60 will vary with the temperature thereof so that if at anytime the dispensing head 44 is set into operation before the liquidcontents of the charge container has had time to become fully warmed,the viscosity of the fluid may be suificiently high that a sluggishaction will be encountered as the liquid leaves the nozzle portion 142.In such an event, it is a relatively simple matter for the operator toengage the knurled portion 144 of the enlarged head portion 122 of thecontrol valve 120 and turn the same relatively to the valve body 80 soas to widen the opening between the valve seat and the frusto-conicalportion 132 thus allowing the liquid under pressure beneath the valveplug 126 to be more readily transmitted to the bore 134 to the end thatthe liquid will issue freely from the nozzle portion 142. Thisadjustment is readily available to the operator for immediate regulationof the liquid flow through the nozzle portion 142 as conditions ofviscosity may dictate.

After the dispensing head 44 has served its purpose, it may be replacedin the seat fitting 5t; and, when so replaced, the closure cap, 913 willrest upon the seating flange of the seat fitting 5% while the chargecontainer 60 will project downwardly into the seat fitting a sufficientdistance that it will be encircled by the heating element 54. Thus,during any period of inactivity when the dispensing head 44 is not inuse, the liquid contents of the charge container will assimilate heatfrom the heating element. Assimilation of such heat is facilitated bythe fact that the metal from which the charge container is formedpossesses high heat-conducting characteristics while the wall of thecharge container is relatively thin.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of partsshown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification asvarious changes in the details of construction may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore,only insofar as the invention has been pointed out particularly in theaccompanying claims is the same to be limited.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A head adapted to dispense liquid shampoo or the like and comprisinga charge container having an exteriorly threaded upper rim region and abottom Wall provided with an inlet fitting adapted to be connected to asource of liquid under pressure, a closure cap threadedly received overthe upper threaded rim region of the charge container, said closure capincluding a closure wall provided with an opening therethrough, anelastomeric mounting sleeve fitting within said opening and provided atits lower end with a downwardly facing valve seat, a onepiece tiltablevalve body projecting completely through the mounting sleeve andincluding an upper tubular dispensing nozzle above and an imperforatevalve plate below said mounting sleeve, the upper face of said valveplate normally cooperating with the valve seat to prevent egress ofliquid from the charge container and into the dispensing nozzle andbeing operable upon axial tilting of the valve body to admit fluid fromthe charge container to the dispensing nozzle, and a manually operablecontrol valve disposed within said dispensing nozzle and adapted toregulate the flow of liquid through the latter, said dispensing nozzlebeing interiorly threaded and provided adjacent to its lower end with aninternal annular valve seat, said control valve comprising a cylindricalmember having an upper portion threadedly received within the dispensinghead and projecting outwardly of the latter above the upper rim thereof,a lower imperforate valve plug cooperating with said annular valve seat,and an interconnecting reduced stem portion between the valve plug andupper portion, said stem portion being provided with a radial valve porttherein establishing communication between the interior of the upperstem portion and the annular space surrounding the stem portion withinthe dispensing nozzle.

2. A dispensing head as set forth in claim 1 and including,additionally, an enlarged adjusting head on said upper portion of thecylindrical member exteriorly of the dispensing nozzle.

3. In a system for dispensing liquid shampoo or the like, a lavatorybowl, means establishing a horizontal supporting surface in associatedrelation with said lavatory bowl, there being an opening in saidhorizontal supporting surface, an open-ended tubular seat fittingembodying an enlarged seating flange supported upon the openingdefiningportion of said supporting surface, said fitting also embodying a thinwalled shank portion projecting through the opening and dependingtherebelow, means fixedly securing said fitting within said opening andto the supporting surface, a generally cylindrical tubular sheathlikeheating element including an electrical resistance coil andtelescopically received over the shank portion of the seat fittingdirectly beneath the supporting surface, a dispensing head removablydisposed within the seat fitting and includinga lower cylindrical chargecontainer normally encompassed by said heating element, and an uppermanually operable dispensing valve assembly, said valve assembly havingan outlet side and an inlet side, a dispensing nozzle supported in theupper regions of said valve assembly, the outlet side of the valveassembly being connected to the dispensing nozzle and the inlet side ofthe valve assembly being connected to the charge container,'said chargecontainer normally fitting slidably within the shank portion of thetubular seat fitting with the valve assembly resting by gravity upon theenlarged seating flange, an inlet fitting depending from the lower endof the charge container, a liquid container remote from the lavatorybowl, means operatively connecting the liquid container and chargecontainer, and a motor operated pump operatively connected to the liquidcontainer for expelling liquid therefrom for conduction thereof to thecharge container through said connecting means.

4. A dispensing system according to claim 3 and including, additionally,a box-like housing including a horizontal top wall and a dependingcontinuous side wall, said top wall constituting said horizontalsupporting surface, said depending continuous side wall of the housingencompassing said electrical resistance coil and seat fitting inconcealing protective relationship with respect thereto.

5. In a system for dispensing liquid shampoo or the like, a lavatorybowl, means establishing a horizontal supporting surface in associatedrelation with said lavatory bowl, there being an opening in saidhorizontal supporting surface, an open-ended tubular seat fittingembodying an enlarged seating flange supported upon the opening-definingportion of said supporting surface, said fitting also embodying athin-walled shank portion projecting through the opening and dependingtherebelow, means fixedly securing said fitting within said opening andto the supporting surface, a generally cylindrical tubular sheath-likeheating element including an electrical resistance coil andtelescopically received over the shank portion of the seat fittingdirectly beneath the supporting surface, a dispensing head removablydisposed within the seat fitting and including a lower charge containernormally encompassed by said heating element, and an upper manuallyoperable dispensing valve assembly, said charge container beingexteriorly threaded at its upper end, a closure cap forming part of thevalve assembly and threadedly received on the upper end of the chargecontainer, there being a central opening in said closure cap, said valveassembly including a tubular valve body having its lower end regionprojecting into said charge container through the opening in saidclosure cap, a combined resilient mounting sleeve and valve seatdisposed within said opening in the closure cap and through which thelower end region of the valve body projects in sealing relationship andwithin which sleeve and seat the valve body is fioatingly mounted forlimited universal tilting movement, an imperforate valve plate on thelower end of said valve body and normally bearing upwardly against saidcombined mounting sleeve and valve plate in sealing relationship, saidimperforate valve plate being adapted, upon tilting of the valve body inany direction, to become partially unseated from said combined mountingsleeve and valve seat, the portion of the valve body immediately abovesaid valve plate being of reduced diameter to afford an annularclearance between the valve body and combined mounting sleeve and valveseat, there being a series of radial fluid ports in said reduced portionof the valve body for the inward flow of fiuid when said valve plate ispartially unseated, a tubular dispensing nozzle carried at the upper endof the valve body, said charge container normally fitting slidablywithin the shank portion of the tubular seat fitting with the dispensingnozzle resting by gravity upon the enlarged seating flange, an inletfitting depending from the lower end of the charge container, a liquidcontainer remote from the lavatory bowl, means operatively connectingthe liquid container and charge container, and a motor-operated pumpoperatively connected to the liquid container for expelling liquidtherefrom for conduction thereof to the charge container through saidconnecting means.

Reterences Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/51 Dey. 2/63Knibb.

1. A HEAD ADAPTED TO DISPENSE LIQUID SHAMPOO OR THE LIKE AND COMPRISINGA CHARGE CONTAINER HAVING AN EXTERIORLY THREADED UPPER RIM REGION AND ABOTTOM WALL PROVIDED WITH AN INLET FITTING ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO ASOURCE OF LIQUID UNDER PRESSURE, A CLOSURE CAP THREADEDLY RECEIVED OVERTHE UPPER THREADED RIM REGION OF THE CHARGE CONTAINER, SAID CLOSURE CAPINCLUDING A CLOSURE WALL PROVIDED WITH AN OPENING THERETHROUGH, ANELASTOMERIC MOUNTING SLEEVE FITTING WITHIN SAID OPENING AND PROVIDED ATITS LOWER END WITH A DOWNWARDLY FACING VALVE SEAT, A ONEPIECE TILTABLEVALVE BODY PROJECTING COMPLETELY THROUGH THE MOUNTING SLEEVE ANDINCLUDING AN UPPER TUBULAR DISPENSING NOZZLE ABOVE AND AN IMPERFORATEVALVE PLATE BELOW SAID MOUNTING SLEEVE, THE UPPER FACE OF SAID VALVEPLATE NORMALLY COOPERATING WITH THE VALVE SEAT TO PREVENT EGRESS OFLIQUID FROM THE CHARGE CONTAINER AND INTO THE DISPENSING NOZZLE ANDBEING OPERABLE UPON AXIAL TILTING OF THE VALVE BODY TO ADMIT FLUID FROMTHE CHARGE CONTAINER TO THE DISPENSING NOZZLE, AND A MANUALLY OPERABLECONTROL VALVE DISPOSED WITHIN SAID DISPENSING NOZZLE AND ADAPTED TOREGULATE THE FLOW OF LIQUID THROUGH THE LATTER, SAID DISPENSING NOZZLEBEING INTERIORLY THREADED AND PROVIDED ADJACENT TO ITS LOWE END WITH ANINTERNAL ANNULAR VALVE SEAT, SAID CONTROL VALVE COMPRISING A CYLINDRICALMEMBER